Ski boot

Abstract

A ski boot includes a shell and a cuff which is hinged on the shell so as to rotate about a first axis substantially perpendicular to the center-plane of the boot. The ski boot is provided with a cuff locking device which includes: a fixing plate which is located on the shell substantially at the heel of the boot and is provided with a projecting pin which protrudes from the shell while remaining coaxial to a third axis which substantially lies on the center-plane of the boot, and is tilted with respect to the vertical by an angle from 60° to 90°; and a connecting arm which, in the area above the heel of the boot, extends astride between the rear part of the cuff and the fixing plate, while remaining on a lying plane substantially perpendicular to said first axis.

1 . Ski boot comprising a rigid shell which is shaped so as to accommodate the foot of the user, and a rigid cuff which is shaped so as to enclose the ankle of the user and is hinged on the shell so as to rotate about a first axis substantially perpendicular to the center-plane of the boot and locally substantially coincident with the articulation axis of the ankle of the user; the ski boot being also provided with a cuff locking device which is structured so to selectively rigidly lock the cuff to the shell so as to prevent any movement between the two components, or release the cuff from the shell so as to allow the cuff to freely swing about said first axis while remaining substantially on the center-plane of the boot;
 the ski boot being characterised in that the cuff locking device comprises:
 a fixing plate which is located on the shell substantially at the heel of the boot; and 
 a connecting arm which, in the area above the heel of the boot, extends astride between the rear part of the cuff and the fixing plate, while remaining on a lying plane substantially perpendicular to said first axis, and is hinged on the rear part of the cuff so as to oscillate with respect to the cuff about a second axis locally substantially perpendicular to the lying plane of the same connecting arm; 
   
       the fixing plate being also provided with a projecting pin which protrudes from the shell while remaining coaxial to a third axis which lies substantially on the center-plane of the boot, ad is tilted with respect to the vertical by an angle ranging between 60° and 90°; the lower end of the connecting arm instead being shaped/structured so as to be selectively insertable/fittable on the projecting pin of the fixing plate in an axially rotatable and easily releasable/extractable manner, so as to constrain the connecting arm to the fixing plate with the sole possibility of freely rotating about said third axis. 
     
     
         2 . Ski boot according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the lower end of the connecting arm is provided with a slot or eyelet which is shaped so as to be engaged in an axially rotatable and sliding manner by said projecting pin, so as to constrain the connecting arm to the fixing plate with the sole possibility of freely rotating with respect to the fixing plate about the projecting pin. 
     
     
         3 . Ski boot according to  claim 2 , characterised in that the projecting pin has a substantially circular section, and the slot or eyelet has a circular section substantially complementary to that of said projecting pin. 
     
     
         4 . Ski boot according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the cuff locking device also comprises a manually-operated arm lifting mechanism which is structured so as to selectively and alternatively arrange the connecting arm in a totally lowered position in which the lower end of the connecting arm is fitted/inserted on the projecting pin of the fixing plate, so as to prevent any swinging of the cuff on the shell about said first axis; and in a totally lifted position in which the lower end of the connecting arm is completely extracted and spaced from the projecting pin of the fixing plate, so as to allow the cuff to freely swing on the shell about said first axis. 
     
     
         5 . Ski boot according to  claim 4 , characterised in that the arm lifting mechanism comprises an elastic member which is structured so as to elastically maintain the connecting arm stably in the totally lowered position; and a manually-operated control member which can displace and stably maintain the connecting arm in the totally lifted position overcoming the elastic thrust of said elastic member. 
     
     
         6 . Ski boot according to  claim 5 , characterised in that said manually-operated control member is a lever which is hinged on the connecting arm, and is shaped/structured so as to prop on the immediately underlying body of the cuff to force the connecting arm to rotate about the second axis from the totally lowered position to the totally lifted position overcoming the thrust of the elastic member. 
     
     
         7 . Ski boot according to  claim 6 , characterised in that said lever is hinged on the connecting arm so as to freely rotate on the connecting arm while remaining on a reference plane locally substantially parallel or coincident with the lying plane of the connecting arm. 
     
     
         8 . Ski boot according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the cuff locking device also comprises a supporting plate which is rigidly fixed on the rear part of the cuff, above the heel of the boot, so as to substantially lie on the center-plane of the boot, and the connecting arm is hinged on said supporting plate. 
     
     
         9 . Ski boot according to  claim 8 , characterised in that the supporting plate is fixed on the rear part of the cuff in a rigid and stable, though easily removable, manner. 
     
     
         10 . Ski boot according to  claim 9 , characterised in that the supporting plate is also structured to be fixable on the rear part of the cuff in a plurality of distinct anchoring positions which are freely selectable by the user. 
     
     
         11 . Ski boot according to  claim 9 , characterised in that the cuff locking device also comprises a second connecting arm which has a first end structured so to be fixable in a rigid and stable, though easily releasable, manner on the rear part of the cuff, in place of the supporting plate, and a second end shaped/structured so as to be insertable/fittable on the projecting pin of the fixing plate in an axially rotatable and easily releasable/extractable manner, so as to constrain the connecting arm to the fixing plate with the sole possibility of freely rotating about the axis of the projecting pin. 
     
     
         12 . Ski boot according to  claim 11 , characterised in that the first end of said second connecting arm is structured to be fixable on the rear part of the cuff in a plurality of distinct anchoring positions which are freely selectable by the user. 
     
     
         13 . Ski boot according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the cuff is fixed in a freely rotatable manner on the shell by means of two connection hinges which are arranged on the external and internal lateral sides of the shell and of the cuff, aligned along said first axis; said connection hinges being structured so as to allow a manual adjustment of the tilt angle of said first axis with respect to the center-plane of the boot. 
     
     
         14 . Ski boot according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the shell and/or the cuff are made of plastic or composite material.